Japanese Title: Change My Style! Securing The Position!
Translation: Chenji Mai Ikka! Kachitoru Sono Chii!
By: Pro_V
"Ooh!" Eevy growled, "Those two make me so angry!" she started turning bright red as she walked, "Angry enough to just-just-just-AH!"
"Calm down, Eevy!" Lance held her shoulders, "I think you've breathed enough fire for now. Take deep breaths, Eevy."
"If you don't, you could blow us all sky high," Luri cautioned, "We really don't want that, now do we?"
"It's just…so unlike them," she stopped and ran her left hand through her hair, "I never would have thought they would do anything like this. I just don't understand why," she turned and looked out at the sun as it turned orange while setting, "There're a lot of things I don't understand. And a lot of things I would never expect. I'm sure there are some things, some situations, even I can't handle. I'm readily prepared to admit that. I just hope I'll be able to fix it before it totally wipes us out," she walked over and leaned on the railing, "I know I'm no where near as heartbroken as Lisle and Mizu, but it still kills me to think about it. How horrid those girls must feel," she looked down and shut her eyes tightly, "And all because of my family."
"That's not entirely accurate there, Eevy," Will shook his head, "The girls they cheated with obviously took part in it too. This isn't all to blame on them either, but they should still except some of the blame."
"Some, yes, but not all. They're both grown men. They could have said no, but they didn't. I'm sorry, but I still say most of the blame belongs to them. They're both supposed to be older than me. One by three years, and one by five. Yet, they act like absolute infants in the way they care for themselves sometimes. I thought I was bad when I was flirting with Lance before I knew he was Dragon. Woah, I guess not, huh?" she laughed wildly before slouching again, "How can I joke? How can I make fun of this? This is revolting and I'm laughing."
"Don't worry, Eevy. I'm sure everything will work out, if it hasn't already," Lance put his arms around her and sat his chin on her head, "Like I said, things will play out as they're meant to."
"Believe us, Eevy," Medira stepped up to her left, "We'll fix this up before we go home to Gertan Rin."
"We promise you, Eevy," Luri looked over the bar to her right, "Nothing more will come of these…Mishaps."
"Nothing more will happen, Eevy," Will put his arm over Luri's shoulders, "Even if we have to personally see to it."
"We won't let anything more go wrong," Jason locked arms with Medira, "We refuse to back away and let this happen."
"Thanks, you guys," Eevy nodded, "Thanks a lot."
*^~^**^~^*
"Aww. How adorably cute!" Peter gave a huge fake smile, "Hack, heave, gag!" he choked and coughed, "That is so League-ish. Disgusting! How obnoxiously lovey-dovey that is. Now…How to get this done and get it done right…First of all, I'll have to have a change of pace. In all departments of looks and style."
*^~^**^~^*
Mizu refused to leave Eusine's side, still not trusting him completely. He didn't really want to go to the bar, but she wanted to and he wasn't about to say no after what he'd done. He'd replaced his coat and she'd fixed his button. Eusine started towards a table, but immediately veered off in the direction of the counter as Mizu did. He jumped into the chair next to her and moved the stool closer.
"What's this all about?" Mizu asked as he threw his arm around her waist and leaned her closer.
"Nothing!" he retaliated quickly, "Just want to be with you."
"Cute," she rolled her eyes until a glass of brandy slid down the counter at her, "Rick," she reddened and looked into her lap, "Hi."
"Hello, Mizu!" Rick totally ignored Eusine and leaned into Mizu's face, "Come on back. I've got a few new things to show you."
"You know what?" Eusine jammed his way into his face, "You'd best back off, Rick," he purposely spat his name, "Before I personally take a couple things of yours."
"Why? You need 'em?" he narrowed his eyes.
Mizu sat wide-eyed and swallowed hard, "Come on, Eusine. Let's just go," she started to stand up, but Eusine caught her wrist.
"No. We're not leaving. We're staying right here," he pulled her to sit, "You try anything, and I'll snap you in two like the twig you are. I swear," he hissed lowly.
"Oh really? Are you supposed to be intimidating me, buddy?"
"That all depends on how brave you are, doesn't it? And by looking at you, I'd say you're not very."
"You want to step outside, pal?"
"If I have to I'll take you farther than outside and leave your sorry ass where the sun don't shine."
"Oh, you're asking for it now."
"Whenever you're ready, you just give me a holler. But, I suppose, for you it'd be more like a whimper, wouldn't it?"
"We'll see who's whimpering when we're done."
"You can get that answer now. Look in a mirror sometime."
"Come on, Eusine. Let's go," Mizu took his arm, "Trust me. This guy isn't worth your trouble."
Rick's eyes nearly rolled from his head, "W-W-What about…?"
"Let's get out of here, Eusine," Mizu stood up and forced Eusine with her, "He's such a jerk."
"You've been hanging around with him long enough," Eusine muttered before turning and spitting his tongue out at Rick.
"I was hanging around him for a simple reason. I blurted out my dream profession, and I couldn't pass up the chance to learn it," she pulled him back to face forward.
"Well…All right, but from now on, you learn from Medira. At least I know nothing will happen with her. If it does, I'll start to wonder. Ow!"
*^~^**^~^*
Morty sat in a chair behind Lisle, just watching her with absolute devotion circling his now solid will to live. Lisle stood and leaned on the porch railing, looking out at the water. The sound of footsteps crossing the sand caught her attention and caused her to look down. Morty immediately noticed it as well.
"Lisle! I knew you'd be here, sweet!" he choked as someone stepped up beside her, fists clenched at his sides, "Moreover I didn't know you weren't alone."
"Tommy. This is my boyfriend; Morty."
"Yes, I know who he is. The Gym Leader of Ecruteak," Tommy's eyes narrowed.
"Cut to the chase, Romeo. What's shakin' here?" Morty puffed.
"I came to see Lisle, but of course. I can't steer clear of any place she is."
"Hey! Back off there, Casanova!" he threw his arm around Lisle's waist and pulled her closer, "Lisle is my girl, and it's going to stay that way!"
"Come on, Lisle. He doesn't deserve you. After what he did with Whitney?" he bugged and cupped his hand over his mouth.
Morty's eyes widened, "What?!" he hoisted himself over the bar and ran after Tommy as he took off down the beach.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Tommy thought, "Peter told me to watch what I said! Man, did I blow it!"
"Hold it right there!" Morty jumped and threw Tommy to the sand, pulling his arms back and pinning him down, "Where'd you hear that?! Out with it!"
Tommy fought to pull his head from the silt to speak, but coughed before hand, "Just a rumor! I swear! A buddy of mine told me! Not that I really believe him or anything! It just came out!"
"You'd better not be messing with me. I can snap your neck in a heartbeat, so don't be fooling with me, rookie!"
"No chance!" Tommy squirmed, "Please let me up!"
"Yeah, all right," Morty stood up, but held him down a minute more, "If I ever catch you flirting with my girl again," he whispered evilly in his ear, "Well, let's just say your love life will never be the same again."
"Yes sir, Master Morty, sir!" Tommy's hands were set free and he sprang into the air, zooming down the beach at a mile a minute.
Morty puffed and jammed his hands in his pockets, trudging back up the beach, "Great. I'm ruined."
"Morty, are you all right?" Lisle stepped quickly down the stairs, "Hey, what happened?" she asked, clutching the chest of his shirt worriedly.
"He says he just heard it as a rumor from one of his buddies. Don't even worry about it," he pulled her hands from his shirt, "It's nothing."
"If you say so," she jumped and hugged him, "That was really sweet of you."
"Uh," he turned bright red, "Thank you, Lisle."
*^~^**^~^*
"So much to change and so few choices," Peter grumbled, staring around the few clothes he'd brought with him, "Decisions, decisions."
What his plan was, not even the Rockets knew, nor were any of them brave enough to ask. Butch especially. He'd needed twelve stitches where Peter had shoved him off to the side and he wasn't about to go for a double play. All they knew was that he was saying things about "changing colors," and "altering style," whatever that meant. Peter stood up and Jen immediately sprang from his path, shivering twice as he walked by. Butch ducked and covered, just in case, and James whimpered before inching back from him. Too bad for James, he was who Peter was after for some strange, unknown, and inexplicable reason.
Peter caught James' collar and pulled him to his face, "Hehe…Master Rubeus…What's up?"
"Shut up," Peter stared him dead in the eyes, "You're constantly wearing disguises, correct?"
James looked hesitantly around Peter at Jessie, who shivered and shrugged unknowingly, "Yes, sir. Most of the time," he gulped out.
"Hmm…" Peter trailed off in thought, "Good. Come with me," he turned around, pulling the neck of James' shirt over his shoulder as he would a coat and dragged him with him from behind, "Let's go, Butch. You too," he purposely mispronounced his name the way James always did and snatched his collar from behind and pulled him along, "I'll be back for you two in a bit. Be prepared," he looked back and forth between Jessie and Cassidy before going back in the door to the back room of The Boss' beach house and slamming the door, "Sit down, both of you."
James did as he was told, sitting right down and quaking nervously. Butch obeyed, but slowly, glaring at Rubeus as he sat down. Peter just rolled his eyes and shook his head, making a noise at him before cracking his knuckles. With each pop, James would jump a few inches into the air, probably fearing he was going to get used for target practice.
"Now," Peter started pacing, causing James to whimper each time he passed, "You say you're accustomed to disguises."
"Yes, sir," James gagged out slowly.
"If that's what you want to call what they wear…" Butch trailed off, "Yeah."
Peter shook his head, "Well. I need a disguise. And as I admit I'm a totally hopeless case at this," he fought out the next few words, "I'm asking you to give me a hand."
Butch and James' jaws smacked the floor. The two of them gaped and stared at each other nervously, then slowly but surely returning their attention to Peter.
"You mean," James paused, "Help you?"
"No!" Peter turned bright red and spun towards them, waving his hands, "Just give me a hand!"
"Like there's a difference…" Butch rolled his eyes, "So what? What do you want us to do anyway?"
"You two get the clothes department and your female counterparts will take care of style. I need to look completely different. Bright and cheerful even," he coughed hard, "Unfortunately, the brightest thing in my closet is a deep midnight blue."
"So…what? You want us to pick out your clothes?" James fell flat on his face, "You can't be serious!"
"Do it," he stuck one fist under each of their noses, "And you get extra," he opened his hands.
Butch stared at him dead blankly, "Eight hundred extra for picking out a shirt? You got it!"
James flipped out, as he almost never got anywhere near that much, "Think of all the bottle caps…" he dreamed, "I'll do it!"
"Why do I just know I'm going to regret this with a deep, lingering passion?" Peter moaned as James and Butch stood up.
*^~^**^~^*
"I can't believe you actually accepted their apologies," Rachel shook her head slowly, "It's unbelievable."
"I suppose so," Lisle shrugged, "But they've been really great since then though."
"You consider chasing someone down the beach and threatening someone at the bar really great?" Misty sat wide-eyed, "If you say so, I suppose."
Beth just scratched at the back of her head, "I suppose they can forgive them if they want, but that still doesn't excuse what that idiot did to my sister!" she suddenly burst.
"Calm down, Beth," Mizu pulled her to sit, "I really do think Eusine is seriously sorry. He hardly ever leaves my side. This is the first time all day he hasn't been right on top of me. And this time he only went to the kitchen for a drink."
"Well, one thing's for sure," Sooney looked left and right, "It's a good thing none of us are allergic to flowers. We'd have suffocated by now!"
"Every time they come back from being out without us they bring us a bunch of flowers," Lisle smirked, "Pretty soon, I'll be sneezing even if I don't have allergies."
The group started laughing before the front door slowly opened and closed with Eevy muttering to herself while reading a postcard, "Dear Champion Fighter Hikoboshi…overwhelming request…exceptional performance…presence is requested…Shit!" she tossed the card into the air.
The group tilted their eyebrows, "What was that all about?" Mizu asked slowly, leaning away as Eevy picked the card up again.
"What?" Eevy looked up like a dazed Pidgey, "Oh! Nothing," she paused and looked around, "Where're Morty and Eusine?"
"In the kitchen," Beth pointed to the door.
"Good," she turned and marched through the kitchen door, leaving everyone blank faced in the living room.
"Oh no," Eusine ducked and folded his arms over his head, "Please don't say you've come to hit me again."
"No, I haven't come to hit you. I came to show you this," she waved the card in the air and flung it at Morty.
Morty scanned the paper and suddenly choked, "I forgot all about this! Do we have to go?" he asked as he sat it on the table with Eusine picking it up.
"If we want our position secure, but May said she wouldn't come this year, remember?"
Eusine finished reading, "I could…take her place," he murmured.
"You?" Eevy and Morty asked in unison with Morty continuing, "But you've never been in any competitions like this before, Eusine."
"So what? There's a first time for everything," he stood up and shrugged, "Come on, what do you say?"
"Uh…" Eevy and Morty looked at each other, "I suppose," Eevy shrugged, "Welcome to the team, Eusine."
"Those guys aren't going to like this," Morty shivered, "We're gonna get turned to pulp, I know it."
"Come on. Let's go," she grabbed their wrists and pulled them out, attracting everyone's attention, "Guys. We're going on a little trip."
*^~^**^~^*
Peter looked down at himself and pinched his shirt between his right middle finger and thumb, "Eww!" he whined, "I hate yellow! I hate blue! But orange isn't so bad. But this flower-print stuff it disgusting! And what's the deal with blue jeans?! This is gross! What have you two done to me?!" he wailed and spun around, "I look like an islander!"
"I thought that was the whole point," Butch crossed his arms.
"Very authentic," James nodded.
"Hardly recognize him," Butch also nodded.
"Never know it was him in a million years."
"Couldn't pick him out if you tried."
"All right! All right! I get your point! You did your job," he stomped towards them and shoved their money into their hands, "Now get out!" he turned around and stared at the mirror to sulk, "Take this and throw it, will you?" he flung something off the top of the dresser.
James stopped and caught it, "Ah ha!" he jumped, "This is the last bottle cap I need to have the complete line of Golduck Cola caps! Thank you, sir!" he beamed as he walked out.
"I just knew I was going to regret this. I've been dressed by a lunatic and a grass-head," he crossed his arms on the dresser under his forehead and shook his head, "I feel so disgustingly genial."
"Oh, Master Rubeus!" Cassidy smirked evilly from behind.
"Oh geez no," Peter shuttered, "Why me?"
"What do you think, Cassidy? His skin tone's too pale to be an islander, right?" Jessie smiled wide and grabbed Peter's right shoulder.
"Most definitely. We'll have to change that right away if we expect to do this the right way," Cassidy took his left.
"No! Stop!" Peter wailed helplessly as they pulled him back from the dresser and slammed him to sit on the bed, "Don't you dare put any of that on me! AH!"
*^~^**^~^*
"What exactly is this, Eevy?" Lance tilted his head slowly to the side while looking at the card Eevy had gotten in the mail.
"It's a…karate competition," she took the bottom of the card and flipped it over, so as Lance looked at it right-side up, "My brother and I usually took Gary Oak's sister May with us, but she said last year would have to be the last year. So, this year we're taking my cousin," Eevy looked over the group as they scowled at her, "What? You don't have to come."
"It's not that we don't want to go," Mizu started, "But this is supposed to be our vacation, Eevy."
"Where's this thing being held anyway?" Brock looked up at them.
"It changes every year. Let me see," she scanned the card after snatching it from Lance's hands, "Well. This would float your boats if it were water!" she looked up and smiled wide, "They're holding it on Tangelo Island! We get to take the ferry there tomorrow!"
"Yahoo!" Sooney cheered, "I'm in one hundred percent all the way, baby! Tangelo Island, here I come!"
The door slowly opened and closed, "Count me out, guys. I heard all about it, but I can't go," Medira limped around the doorframe with her arm over Jason's shoulder.
Eevy gasped a bit, "What happened? Why are you limping?"
"Something hit my foot under the water. Whatever it was, it hit hard and sprained my ankle. I'm not supposed to be walking."
"Then why are you?! Sit down!" Eevy jumped up and pointed to where she'd been sitting.
Medira sat down and frowned, "Sorry, guys. But I just can't go."
"Then we're not going," Eevy shook her head.
"No! I want you to go! I can watch it on TV at the bar or something. I want you to go and bash the brains out of somebody! Give 'em a real knock around!"
"Are you sure?" Eevy asked worriedly, "You're going to be all right?"
"I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. It's just a minor sprain anyway. I'll be up and around again before we go back to Gertan Rin."
"I'll stay here with-" Jason started but Medira slapped her hand over his mouth, "What?" he asked in a muffled tone.
"You are going to go and cheer them on for me," she hooked his nose between her index and middle fingers, "Whether you want to or not."
"OK! OK! Just let go of my nose!" he pulled back with a nasally voice before she let go suddenly and sent him flying back into the wall and onto the floor, "Ow."
*^~^**^~^*
"What…have…you people…done to me…?" Peter twitched as he stared in the mirror, which now reflected light brown eyes and dark brown hair.
"I think you look nice," Cassidy shrugged and smiled.
"This stuff had better not be permanent," he pulled a piece of his dark red-brown hair down, "I look like a chocolate covered strawberry."
"Nothing we used was permanent," Jessie shook her head, "Just gotta wash your hair…A lot."
"I should certainly hope so," he grumbled and started whining, "And what did you do to my wonderfully pale white skin?"
"Just a little skin tone. You were way to pale to have been from one of the islands," Cassidy nodded, "You looked like a bed sheet compared to some of the people around here."
Peter studied himself, being silent while he thought, "Look at me. I look so friendly it's making me sick. And what's with these white sneakers? Couldn't they have been black? What about the jeans?" something then caught his attention and caused him to scream out loud, "Holy shit! Where's my family mark?! Where's my snake?! Where's my dagger?! What did you do?!"
"Stay calm, please!" Jessie shrieked and snatched his hand, "Look. It comes right off," she wiped some of the skin tone away, "See? It's right there," Cassidy shoved in and recovered it before he snatched his arm away, "No need to panic."
"Don't do that! You gave me a heart attack!" he panted and sighed, "At least," he thought, "I'm not stuck in tie-dye."
"We've just got a few more finishing touches to do, then we're done," Cassidy was starting to scare him with her utter happiness at torturing him in such a manner.
"No more makeup!" he waved his arms crazily, "Not one more dab of anything!"
"Don't worry! We're done with that!" Jessie looked him over, "You're on an island, so you'll need sunglasses. Excuse me," she hooked them on the neck of his shirt.
"Hmm…" Cassidy stared in thought, "Most guys down here wear earrings, so-"
"Don't you dare!" he shrieked in a surprisingly soprano tone.
"It's a clip on," she snickered and stuck it on his ear, causing him to frown long and hard.
"These shoes are way too white," Jessie shook her head and booted him out the side door, scuffing sand onto his shoes, "That's better!" she kicked him back inside.
"Jeans are way too new," Cassidy nodded slowly and took a pair of scissors to the hem of the ankles and to the knees, "Much better."
"Don't tuck in your shirt. You look too stiff to be an island guy," Jessie ordered, actually causing him to un-tuck his shirt, "And having all the buttons done looks stupid. Undo to the top three," he moved the sunglasses and did as he was told before putting them back.
"And that hair cut has to go," Cassidy snipped the scissors.
"Touch my hair and die!" Peter jumped away and slammed himself against the wall, "Comb and brush it all you like! Use as much hair spray and gel as you have the pleasure to, but don't you dare bring those scissors near my head!"
"Geez, Jessie. He's worse than you," Cassidy and Jessie nodded, "Come on, Master Rubeus! Maybe a new hair cut will do you some good!" she stepped closer, clicking the scissors again.
"Get away! Keep back!" he sprang to the side and ran around the room.
"Get him!" Jessie jumped after him, "You asked for help! Let us help you!"
"I think it's you two who need the help!" he ducked away and zipped past Cassidy, "Keep those scissors away from me! You cut my hair and I'll break you in half!" they wouldn't listen and finally got to him, "Yee-ahahah!"
"What the hell are they doing to him in there?" Mondo gaped at the scream and crash coming from the other door.
"I don't think we really ought to ask that question," Jen shook her head slowly.
Peter had successfully managed to squirm away and had only managed to loose the end inch of about six hairs before he pried the scissors from Cassidy and turned them back on them. Jessie shrieked and wailed and Cassidy shouted and screamed.
"Keep away! We're sorry!" Jessie pulled the end of her hair down and hugged it, "Please don't take it out on my precious hair!"
"Don't cut my hair! Please no!" Cassidy backed up beside Jessie, pulling each end of her hair down, "Leave my hair be!"
"That's better," Peter dropped the scissors in the trashcan and lit it on fire, "Now. You can use all the gels, sprays, combs and brushes you'd like, but you approach me with another pair of scissors and I'll cut you to ribbons with the ones in there," he pointed to the trash, "Remember, I can reach through fire and throw it. If I wasn't worried about accidentally hitting something in here and having to pay for it, you two little bimbettes would be charred by now."
After a good twenty minutes of brushing, combing, spraying, wetting and covering his head in gel about six times, they'd finally managed to conceal his 'unique' hair style in a way that it would be easily recovered. Just as Jessie said, he'd have to wash his hair extra especially well to get it completely clean, but he'd still do it. He stood up and looked in the mirror, gaping at how he didn't recognize himself the slightest bit. He swallowed hard before looking back at the bright colors, white shoes, brown hair and eyes, the invisible tattoos and that earring. He took one last glance at that earring before collapsing face-first to the floor.
"Master Rubeus! Are you all right?!" Jessie jumped sky high.
"Quick! Get him on the bed before he messes his hair up!" Cassidy screeched.
The Next Chronicle:
Competition